New Study: Impact of Ten Minutes of Exercise on Adults Over Forty
There are countless numbers of diseases and conditions that can be prevented, alleviated, and sometimes treated with physical activity. After all, exercise is medicine. A new study conducted using the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is supporting that claim. Much like previous studies have suggested, this study shows that substantial numbers of deaths in the US can be prevented by increasing the population's amount of physical activity.
The data collected from the NHANES was recorded between 2003-2006, where participants were asked to wear an accelerometer for 7 days. A mortality follow-up was completed via the national death index through December 2015. This methodology evaluated 4,840 adults aged 40 to 85 years or older. The big take away from their study: approximately 110,000 deaths per year could be prevented if US adults aged 40 to 85 years or older increased their physical activity by about 10 minutes per day. Of course, the number of lives saved goes up as the amount of time exercising goes up. The Physical Activity Alliance created a wonderful graphic that represents this information.
A new study by @NIH estimates that by adding just 10 minutes of physical activity to our daily routine, the US could prevent over 100,000 deaths per year!
— Physical Activity Alliance (@PAAmovewithUS) January 25, 2022
Read all about it in the journal article here: https://t.co/HY3n6cqfpK#MoveWithUs #PhysicalActivity #ActivePeople pic.twitter.com/eEb8EFjQc8
If “exercise or die early” isn’t a good motivator to break a sweat, I don’t know what is! But it’s not all gloom and doom. In fact, there is a silver lining. You don’t need to run several miles every day, lift weights until you drop, or eat nothing but salad for the rest of your life to become significantly healthier. As the study shows, 30, 20 or even 10 minutes of daily exercise can make a huge impact. That would be enough people to save a small city.
The key to properly utilizing these findings is consistency. The number one factor to unsuccessful exercise programs and diets is simply the lack of adherence. We covered a few ways to help overcome this in my podcast episode on weight loss. The studies focus on small, yet daily routine sets a great example. You don’t have to tackle mountains. In fact, it’s best to take your time and approach your fitness journey with a sense of patience. This is probably a good time to remind you how long it takes to lose weight.
The science is clear and the new standard is set, but we need to take action to meet it. If you need help, don’t suffer in silence. I am here for this exact reason, so contact me.
